The threat of a strike sparked a three-day panic across Boston at the beginning of the month, such as the scenes in this video of London Road, with several stations running out of fuel.

Unite, which represents 1,200 tanker drivers, said it wants further talks after arguing that the deal on the table does not go far enough to adress health and safety concerns.

Unite assistant general secretary Diana Holland, said: “We remain committed to achieving a negotiated settlement that brings stability and security to a vital industry, and gives this workforce - and the public - confidence that the race to the bottom in this vital industry is ending.

“For too long operators have presided over under-cutting and the erosion of standards.

“This is simply not sustainable, and it is beholden on all parties to work together to establish a meaningful set of minimum standards that brings order to a chaotic industry.

“While there has been some progress it is clear that our members need more guarantees and assurance from the employers about their commitment to meaningful minimum standards.

“We will be going back to the employers in a bid to reach a negotiated settlement.”